A new core funding model that would see €221million pumped into the childcare sector looks set to be rejected by a number of providers.
A minority say they’ve issues with the terms of the framework which would see them agreeing to putting two-thirds of the funding toward staff wages and not raising their fees.
This new plan, which was announced last month, aims to encourage graduate staffing and bring fees in line with the European average.
But a survey of over 1,000 providers by the Federation of Early Childhood Providers found a third won’t accept the terms.
Chair of the group, Elaine Dunne, says agreeing to freezing fees discourages competition; “We had a meeting with our Minister there a couple of weeks ago and we asked him to, we brought some solutions to the table and we are still sitting here waiting to see whether there’s any consideration for those solutions”.
But lecturer in early childcare education Dr Sinead Matson is reassuring providers the government won’t see anyone lose money in the new model; “They do need to come back and say this is why, these are our books, this is why the legacy debts I would assume my experience in the sector is part of the problem”.
However, Chairperson of the Association of Early Childcare Professionals Marian Quinn is encouraging providers to see the funding as the first step in improving the sector; “It’s about setting a footprint in place in terms of how to be able to invest in early years in a way that makes sure it’s affordable for parents”.
The survey by the FECP found 5.6% of providers said their service will not remain open next year, based on available funding
